Make sure you include an updated preapproval so they know that they have a bona fide qualified buyer who they ought not let get away for anything.

You can start lower and negotiate up in case you're curious to see if they'll take a lower offer, but once you get to 230 that is the phraseology to use. "Best and highest." It is far more business like than "take it or leave it."

You can bet that 249 is the price with a little negotiation built in, so you have an excellent shot. Good luck.

The Realtor can also tell you the history of the property, like if it was under contract previously and didn't work out, etc.

This is part of the process to determine if the idea of buying into the franchise makes sense economically

What are the elements of a well-structured offer?

What are the basic/essential elements of proper offer presentation?

What offer/presentation elements build value to a seller?

What/who is a pre-approved strong buying candidate?

How are list prices (typically) flawed?

How does [an agent] prepare a comparative market analysis to support an offer?

I will re-arrange your list order and try to blend it all into a easy reading response.

Not all agents present their offers, most fax and deliver them to the listing agents office. I have never, ever! subscribed to such a method. The best way to do the following topics are always performed in a face to face environment with the seller and their agent present. I typically include the buyers present as well.
What are the basic/essential elements of proper offer presentation? To properly present your offer is best compared to an attorney doing a closing arguement in a trial. The seller is the judge and the listing agent the jury. Your client needs to be found as not guily of failing to be the best buyer. Present a solid case for your client as the best buyer without making the offer amount the largest hurdle. I present offers from back to front and close with the purchase price. This gives the seller a reason to pay attention to the deal before focusing emotionally on the price.

What offer/presentation elements build value to a seller?
A well educated buyer knows whats for sale elsewhere. Based upon the value expected for the typical price in the area their offer is reflective of the current market. The opinion of value is only that, an opinion. Without a concurring appraisal, the list price and sales prices are not as relevant as many sellers think. Agent's price homes for many reasons, often the most correct price opinion given by an agent before a seller lists, costs that agent the listing. This dynamic can also work the other way, some homes are drastically underpriced and undermarketed. I look for these situations as they scream out desperate seller with pushover agent.

What/who is a pre-approved strong buying candidate?
I always pre approve buyers and show them homes that fit within their buying power based upon current fixed rate loans.
I insist on a strong ernest deposit but use a note due within 24 hours of removal of the inspection contingency. I show a copy of a certified funds cashiers check for the same amount as the note as an exhibit. This way the buyers funds are not tied up during any potential disputes that arise from an inspection. Make sure you protect your buyer with several safe harbors and explain those clauses. The seller see's the cash is there otherwise. I also include a second exhibit that is a copy of an additional cashiers check for the buyers down payment based upon the good faith estimate /closing statement. Another item of interest here is that I have the approx sellers net proceeds calculated for them as well. I prepare that from looking at the sellers loan balance on the title report. I pull title before writing any offer, by the way.

I include a new CMA for the seller to view that is more current than when the listing was taken. I point out in it how list prices are flawed by the following;
Pricing up to get a close offer, this means the seller is thinking they will not get a full price offer. They know their priced wrongly so why reward them for agent incompetence.

Agents inflating a price to impress a seller, this is known as fluffing a price. In time the seller will be open to a reduced price.

Out of area agents pricing the home based upon a different neighborhood market.

Inexperience, listing with a friend in real estate, and basing list price on that house down the street that sold.

There are more reasons but the above are the most common.
The fact of the matter is as follows, every house is different even if built by the same builder. A commonwall duplex will be different condition wise unless brand new. No two homes on the same street are exactly the same within a few years. No two home buyers are the same in tastes and expectations either. A properly prepared and priced home will sell, but not have the same opinion of value equally amongst any current buyer pool. If you are looking for a low ball offer to appear stronger then use the comps that were well underpriced. I know my market very well and use a listing history search on some comps as this can help in several ways. The seller might remember the house on the corner that was listed for 300K and sold. They will say "Well that corner home sold for 300 thousand. They might not know it actually sold for 265K because they based their price on a flier they pulled 3 weeks ago at the corner house. I show actual sales prices and market time for every comp used that fits my arguement.

Building value to the seller thus is a blend of the following.
Show credibility and skill in your ability to present the true market. Never ever attack the sellers vanity, just educate them in a polite and professional manner. By presenting a market abstract and having them quietly questioning their price (Objective 1)you can then present your buyers strengths (Objective 2). Go over the ernest money agreement back to front as soon as the first two objectives are met. Make sure the offer is void of typo's and never get too far out on a limb on addendums or added conditions. Explain your requests in simple terms. Close with "Based upon the homes we have viewed and the opinion of value they have set, (as you hand them page one showing the offer amount) my clients feel this is a fair and accurate offering price for your home. After they confer with their agent and you return, they will tell you what it will take to buy their home. I have never writtren a full price offer and have had strings of over 100 offers in a row accepted.

Mkt Tm: (Market Time)is the total days the property has been on the market

List Mkt Tm (ListMarket Time) – The days the current listing of the house has been active. For example, if the seller took it off the market then put it back on, or changed brokers.

In most areas a house must be off the MLS for 90 days or more to reset the Market Time count.

Talk to your Realtor about the info on the CMA, they'll be happy to explain it to you! (Heck, it's what we're here for!)

Know your support and resistance, and don't take big losses and use trendlines to understand when to take profits.

Technicals work great if you use larger time frames for longer term trades and shorter term charts for shorter term trades.

I trade for a living and I'm only successful on about 60 percent of my trades. The key is understanding when to get out of the position.

Good luck!

Matt